Improvement in fasteners for the meeting-rails of sashes



F. M. PAIROLOTH, Jr. Fastener for the Meeting-Rail of Sash.

No. 198,094. Patented Dec. 11,1877

S'xgzi.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS M. .FAIEOLOTH, JR, OF JERSEY our, NEW JERsEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN FASTENERS FOR THE MEETING-RAILS 0F SASHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 198,094, dated December 11, 1877 application filed October 24, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. FAIRGLOTH,

- Jr., ofJersey City, Hudson county, in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements relating to Window-Sash Fasteners, of which the following is a specification:

I have devised a form of fastener which is well adapted for being mortised or let into the meeting-rails of sashes, so as topresent a neater appearance than the ordinary fastenings, and which can, be effectually secured against being tampered with by boring and pushing from the outside. I can make my fastening to engage automatically the moment the window is shut.

I provide a slide with a beveled end on the lower sash, engaging with a suitable strikingplate on the other sash, and impelled by a spring of sufficient force to maintain under all conditions an active tendency to engage. A stem is connected to this slide by a swiveljoint, which allows it to be turned or partially turned at will, and the stem is provided with a catch, or, preferably, with two catches, forming in effect a' cross-piece, which, on being .turned in one position, allows the catch to project and engage, or to be withdrawn, while in another position it engages with a substantial portion of the case or housing, and pre vents the movement.

The stem is formed with a folding .end in i the form of a ring, H, which may be bent down, or which will drop down by gravity into a recess provided, so as to be out of the way, and to present a tasteful appearance.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a face view of a pair of sashes with this improvement. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the meeting-rails, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through that part of the same where the fastening is inserted.

The drawings show the novel parts, with so much of the ordinary parts as is necessary to indicate their relations thereto. The window frame and other parts not represented may be of the ordinary construction.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is the lower'sash, and B the upper. (l is a case or housing, of malleable cast-iron or other suitable material, inserted 'mortisewise through the sash and secured by screws. D is a bevel-ended catch playing in a corresponding slot in the casin g C, and guided by extensions D, which play through eyes 0.

E E are. spiral springs which tend to force the secured by screwsz' on the front face of the lower sash A, and having a central aperture, which may be circular at its front or face, but which at the back is formed oblong, having the same form as the cross-bar or engagingarms G. The aperture is just enough larger than the cross-piece G to allow it to move freely through it when in the right position; but when the stem G, with its cross-piece or engaging-arms G, is turned a quarter around, the stem cannot be moved endwise past the plate I, and consequently the catch D is compelled to remain drawn back or thrust out, according as the cross-piece G is one side or the other of the plate I.

The upper sash B is fitted with a strikingplate, J, having its'upper edge beveled, and having a mortise adapted to receive the catch D. If the stem G G is turned so that the engaging-arms or. cross-piece G stands horizontally, the catch may be moved out and in with freedom. In this condition the catch D will automatically withdraw itself when the sash is lowered, and will automatically engage itself with the striking-plate as soon as it is lowered to the proper position. The window being shut with the parts in that condition, a quarter-turn of the stem G G effectually looks it by engaging the arms G on the rear face of the plate I. This is the ordinary condition in which the window should be left. It cannot be raised without first turning the stem G G.

The extensions D act efficiently as stops,' which, by striking against the inner face of 1 the housing 0, prevent the catch D from ever being drawn back too far.

A skillful house-breaker can undo the ordidary fastening by obtaining access to it with a wire through ahole bored through the sash. The levers of ordinary fastenings can thus be easily pushed around; but nothing will liberate my fastening short of breaking the glass and causing an alarm.

Boring a hole through the outer sash and pressing backward against the catch D cannot open the fastening if the stem G is turned so as to engage the cross-pieces G with the plate I. I

When for any reason it is desired to put the fastening out of use, it is simply necessary to draw the catch back and to turn the stem with its arms G crosswise of the hole on the other side-nearer the operator than the plate I.

I propose to form the plate I with a recess to accommodate the ring H, and to so proportion the whole that the parts will be about flush with the face of the meetin g-rail, providing different sizes of the fastening for differeiit thicknesses of the sash. This is easy in practice, because sashes are usually either one and a half inch thick, or one and threequarter inches thick.

I can use a spring coiled around the stem G and serving additional to or instead of the springs E E. I can realize a part of the advantages of the invention by mounting the same parts or corresponding ones in a different casing, G, adapted to be bolted on the top of the lower sash, and to engage with a cor-' responding modification of the striking-plate projecting up from the meeting-rail of the other sash, B. I much prefer, however, the mortise form of the device shown. It presents a much neater appearance.

I claim as my invention- In a sash-fastening device,the catch 1), spring or springs E, swivel-stem G, and engagingarms G, in combination with the plate I, having a corresponding hole adapted to allow the locking and liberation of the fastening, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of October, 1877, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS M. FAIROLOTH, JR

Witnesses W. SHERWOOD,

MORTIMER LAMPSON, M. D, 

